Media Release: Auckland Animal Action
Wednesday 2nd August 2006
New Zealand: A dumping ground for the cat and dog fur industry?

Following the recent sale of a rug made from the fur of 16 domestic tabby cats, Auckland Animal Action is calling for the government to ban the importation and sale of cat and dog fur in New Zealand. AAA is also calling for the government to improve labelling regulations so that all products incorporating real fur must be labelled correctly.

Each year in China over two million cats and dogs are slaughtered for their fur. This fur is commonly used as trim in clothing and in children's toys and figurines. The cats and dogs used for their fur may be strays rounded up in the streets, purpose-bred on unregulated breeding farms, or even family pets stolen to fuel this multi-million dollar trade.

Auckland Animal Action spokesperson Deirdre Sims says, "Cat and dog fur has
already been banned in several countries including the United States, Switzerland and Australia. The European Union is currently considering imposing a ban as a result of huge public outcry against this cruel trade. Why is New Zealand so far behind?"

"In addition to a ban on cat and dog fur coming into New Zealand, Auckland Animal Action would also like to see tougher labelling regulations so that New Zealand consumers are well aware of what they are buying. New Zealanders should be provided with all the information that they need to make ethical buying choices. Fur products should always be labelled for what they are. Fraudulent and non-existent labelling of fur products is not acceptable."

"New Zealanders love our cats and dogs. We don't want to wear them on our clothes or have our children play with toys made from their fur. We are calling for the New Zealand government to join the many other progressive nations that are rejecting this abhorrent trade. With so many nations, and imminently the European Union, banning cat and dog fur, New Zealand could soon become a dumping ground for this trade, with cat and dog furs swamping our consumer market."

"As long as New Zealand has no legislation to stop cat and dog fur entering our country and as long as labelling regulations are so poor, consumers are at risk of purchasing toys or clothing made from the fur of domestic cats or dogs. Our government must act now to stop this atrocity in its tracks!" says Ms Sims.

ENDS

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